There I was enjoying a drive in my 2007 Ram 2500 (the stickshift one), when I start hearing a sound like a marble rolling across a wood floor inside the cab. I got out and over/under to see if I could locate the source of the noise, but this is impossible, because apparently there's a diesel engine running under the hood.
Back in the cab, the noise is still there. I know that some accessory is on its way out, but I don't know which one at this point. Power steering feels normal. Voltage is normal. AC is working fine. Turning AC on or off makes no difference. Weird. Maybe tensioner pulley?
I head home to take the belt off and see what's going to feel scratchy, but never make it. Star hearing a banshee screech from under the hood, smoke starts pouring from underhood, and I shut down the engine and call AAA. Just for S&G, I start the engine again and look underhood to see what part has decided that resistance is actually not futile.
AC pulley is in full seizure and belt is smoking like like a forest fire right there. Nuts.
After getting home, I check the clutch and find that the center hub does rotate easily, but the pulley does not. I conclude it likely that the bearing between the compressor housing and pulley has failed. Fire up the trusty Jeep, and go get a new compressor clutch. Fortunately, this is a design that does not require extractors or special tools, because there is no room for any of that under there.
Get back and remove the clutch, which turns out to be a factory clutch. Results?
The bearing (center) was no longer existant. A few ball bearings and a shower of rust was all that came out of there. No idea how the coil (lower left) was even operating.
Anyone reading this thread who plans to assail Dodge/Ram quality should take note of this:
Really though, it's been down there a long time over a lot of miles (423k).
I'll say the AC definitely blows colder now.
Back in the cab, the noise is still there. I know that some accessory is on its way out, but I don't know which one at this point. Power steering feels normal. Voltage is normal. AC is working fine. Turning AC on or off makes no difference. Weird. Maybe tensioner pulley?
I head home to take the belt off and see what's going to feel scratchy, but never make it. Star hearing a banshee screech from under the hood, smoke starts pouring from underhood, and I shut down the engine and call AAA. Just for S&G, I start the engine again and look underhood to see what part has decided that resistance is actually not futile.
AC pulley is in full seizure and belt is smoking like like a forest fire right there. Nuts.
After getting home, I check the clutch and find that the center hub does rotate easily, but the pulley does not. I conclude it likely that the bearing between the compressor housing and pulley has failed. Fire up the trusty Jeep, and go get a new compressor clutch. Fortunately, this is a design that does not require extractors or special tools, because there is no room for any of that under there.
Get back and remove the clutch, which turns out to be a factory clutch. Results?
The bearing (center) was no longer existant. A few ball bearings and a shower of rust was all that came out of there. No idea how the coil (lower left) was even operating.
Anyone reading this thread who plans to assail Dodge/Ram quality should take note of this:
Really though, it's been down there a long time over a lot of miles (423k).
I'll say the AC definitely blows colder now.
